Chapter 14 #2
“I knew she wasn’t there with you! That she had stepped away!
You think I didn’t see to that detail? I made sure she was nowhere near the front of the roadhouse.
There was no stopping anything that happened that night!
I was only able to manipulate the situation so much.
” I let out another frustrated sigh, feigning hard for a cigarette.
“Lest we forget, I took a bullet shielding her from your crew returning fire.” The room falls to silence, and I take the brief moment to compose myself before speaking again.
“I am not your enemy. I orchestrated your victory that night. I even left you within range of the means for an easy disposal.”
“An easy disposal?” Viper chimes in.
“The proximity of a large hog farm escaped you?” I quirk a brow at him skeptically.
“Those animals were starving, primed and ready. They’d have devoured a stack of bodies in a night!
” I shift my attention back to Keegan. “Let us not forget, either… You let Rusty live. That in itself is a testament to the fact that you know I speak the truth of my intentions.”
“I’m not convinced about you. But even if I was, how do you see this playing out?” Keegan asks.
“My latest endeavor didn’t make front page news, but it was in your local paper. The cook trailers.”
“Blew up. We saw that,” Viper mutters.
“Yes, well, it wasn’t a happy accident , I assure you.”
“You did it?” Keegan asks.
“That is what I’m implying, yes. I promised her a safer world… I’m willing to be your button man to accomplish that. Glory goes to the Saviors , of course. The community will quietly credit your MC for pushing out these undesirable elements.”
“We don’t need you. We’ve been getting it done without you.” He glowers at me.
“Perhaps not. Perhaps you’re under a false impression that I’m seeking your permission. This meeting is just a formality , an olive branch , if you will. I do not require, nor do I truly desire your acceptance or permission to remain. Plain English , boys, I’m here to stay .”
“Unless we just kill you,” Viper growls.
“That is an option, yes.” I can’t help a sardonic grin. Although it’s a shame that I may have to play an aggressive hand.
“So, are we voting on this shit or what?” An undercurrent of dark humor is ever-present in Viking’s words.
He glances around the table at his MC brothers, wearing a smile most would consider charming, had this discussion not taken a turn toward voting on my life .
He settles his gaze on me. “Any last words?”
“You’re not going to kill me.”
“Those would be some funny as fuck last words,” Viking taunts. “You seem awfully certain of that… And I can’t decide if it’s because you’re fuckin’ insane with some sort of God complex, or ?—”
“Because your president would not allow it.” I glance at Keegan.
“This isn’t a dictatorship.” Keegan’s smile is as disingenuous as I’ve ever seen it.
“ Vote, then ,” I challenge him. “We both know your MC requires a unanimous vote in regards to matters this serious in nature. I’m willing to bet my life, quite literally , that even if every man at this table were to raise a hand in favor of my demise…
Your hand would remain at your side. And we both know why that is… Don’t we , Pres?”
His scowl deepens, and relief floods my system. I was merely bluffing, though it seems Vanna is my shield as well. She does care about me… And he knows it . That’s a second Ace up my sleeve. Though the one I’ve been holding for quite some time now burns to be revealed.
“Vote now, or forever hold your peace.” I grin with a confidence I know is grating Keegan’s last nerve.
“Peace? Or piece?” He scowls, tapping his cut where a gun is likely holstered beneath. “That sounded like a threat to me. Vote now, in your favor, on your timeline, or forever be prepared for another round of your retaliations?”
“In the past, you’d have been right. But things have changed between us. It is my hope you will vote in favor of my stay. I only want to make amends.”
“We both know that’s not the only thing you want,” Keegan mutters, though I detect a waiver in his resolve as he seems to brace himself for what I’ve got coming. I decide not to keep him in further suspense.
I remove the manila envelope from the inner pocket of my leather jacket. “This might assist with your decision,” I say, placing it on the table before him. “Know that I have arrangements in place, should any of you decide my number is up.”
“That number wouldn’t happen to be 666, would it?” Viking jokes.
Dean snatches the envelope, tears it open, and pulls the photos from within. His complexion pales as he takes in the first damning image.
The sneer slides off Viking’s face when he shifts his attention back to their president. “What is it?”
Keegan doesn’t bother examining all six images. The first two got my point across loud and clear. He slips them back inside the envelope and tucks it into his cut. When he glances back at me, his expression is a mixture of rage and worry.
“Do we have an understanding?” I press while the iron is hot. He simply nods tentatively. “ Splendid! I knew we would find common ground.”
Keegan clears his throat and stands. “I’ll grant you your stay until we officially vote,” he begins, momentarily interrupted by the rest of his crew’s riotous surprise. Raising a hand, he silences them. “I suggest you use what time you have to prove you actually do want what you claim.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Viking demands.
“We’ll discuss it later.”
“I think we need to discuss it now,” Viper insists.
“For the record, gentlemen, I have no objections,” I announce, admittedly unable to refrain from grinning tauntingly at Keegan, fully aware I’m dry humping his last nerve.
He glares at me, lifting the gavel in his clenched fist. Hesitating for only a brief moment as we stare each other down, he finally slams it against the sounding block.
“What the fuck?” Viking nearly shouts.
“We’ll vote in private,” Dean says, a halfhearted attempt to appease his crew. “Right now, I need to speak with my lawyer as soon as possible. Meeting adjourned.”
Keegan is still fuming by the time we step outside. Viking shoves my guns into Keegan’s chest, forcing him to take them before he mounts his motorcycle and speeds off with the rest of the disgruntled members of the Saviors MC. Once they’ve departed the lot, I turn to their malcontented President.
“The fact you let Rusty live is a testament in itself that you believe I meant to turn the tables in your favor that night,” I reiterate.
“He was never a Demon. He was a Saviors’ Prospect through and through.
That’s why I chose him. After the unfortunate miscalculation of Vein…
pardon, Aaron Hopper … I chose a fucking Savior to be absolutely certain she wouldn’t be in any danger.
He only helped me when I approached him, during those final months.
He saw to it that Vanna wouldn’t be near the front of the Twisted Throttle at the time of the attack. ”
Keegan only glares back at me, his expression radiating doubt and disdain with both of my guns clutched in his fists at his sides.
I fight the urge to meet his venomous expression with one of my own, and instead go on sarcastically, “I offer you, kind sir , my sincerest and most humble of apologies, soaked in the blood of your enemies, which I have tirelessly scourged from this wretched earth. Dean Keegan, honorable President of the revered Saviors MC , I beg your forgiveness of my innumerable transgressions … And I pledge my allegiance to your cause.”
“This move,” he taps his cut with the barrel of my Sig where the manilla envelope is tucked inside, “This dead man’s switch doesn’t inspire much faith in your claims.”
“Fret not. It’s merely an insurance policy. I truly harbor no malintent toward any of you.”
He stares at me a moment longer, as if attempting to gauge my sincerity. He can take it or leave it. I have my own plans.
“I’ll need a way to contact you, unless you expect us to chant your name three times at a crossroads? Sacrifice a goat on a full moon to summon your presence?”
Another antagonistic grin stretches my mouth.
“ Hah! Why don’t you take a few days to come to terms with everything, hmm?
Really allow the gravity of our situation to pervade.
We’ll be crossing paths in the very near future.
However, should you require any clarifications before then, my number is on the envelope.
A simple phone call or text will suffice . ”
He shoves my Sig behind his belt, then pulls out his cellphone, swiping his thumb through the contacts.
“Do give Vanna my love,” I taunt.
“I’m not calling Vanna .”
“ Oh right ,” I snap my fingers. “You expressed a desire to speak with your lawyer. Allow me to save you a few bucks on the consultation fee, another show of good faith, eh ?”
He looks up from his cell to glare at me.
“The statute of limitations solidifies our little arrangement for the foreseeable future. Indefinitely , in fact! And as I stated earlier, it is merely an insurance policy. I have no intention of using it for any nefarious purposes.”
Pressing the call icon, Keegan raises the phone to his ear. I can’t help but chuckle to myself, removing the pack of cigarettes and Zippo from the inner pocket of my cut. I light up and pull a long drag before blowing the smoke upward.
“Not ready to take my word for it quite yet? I understand. No offense taken on my part. Luckily for you, Keegan, I’ve got the patience of a Saint .”
H aving arrived early to Ace’s play date with Mia at the park, we spent some time in the warm sun, picking an array of Autumn wildflowers, consisting mostly of yellow black-eyed Susans, as well as cone flowers, clasping aspers, and lobelias, in hues of pretty purples.
“For you, mama.” Ace smiles, thrusting the little bouquet up at me.